The human colon is prone to a number of diseases, the most prominent of which is colorectal cancer, which is estimated to kill around 600,000 people annually worldwide.
Colonoscopy is considered the most effective diagnostic examination for colorectal cancer. A colonoscopy is a type of endoscopy that involves navigating a flexible endoscope through a very flexible organ and is difficult to master. Often, clinicians may miss polyps or areas of the colon hidden behind the colon (haustral) folds. It usually requires hundreds of cases before a physician is regarded as proficient enough to conduct the procedure without supervision. Most of this training currently occurs in real patients, causing increased patient risks and discomfort.
Computer based simulation is emerging as an alternative for at least a part of the training because it has lower costs, provides no risks to the patient and has the ability to efficiently structure the training program, allow trainees to make mistakes and learn from them, and expose them to rare scenarios.